


Talon's Pets

by VirusZeref



Category: Batman - All Media Types, The Flash - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Attempted Kidnapping, Attempted Seduction, Blood Kink, Blood and Injury, Bloodlust, Body Modification, Brainwashing, Canonical Child Abuse, Character Death, Cock Cages, Collars, Court of Owls, Damian Wayne is a Talon, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Dick Grayson is a Talon, Dubious Consent, Dubious Morality, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/F, F/M, Forced Eye Contact, Forced Relationship, Heavy Angst, Human Experimentation, Humiliation, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Jason Todd is a Talon, Kidnapping, Knives, M/M, Multi, Non-Consensual Blow Jobs, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Non-Consensual Touching, Nonbinary Character, Not Beta Read, Other, Past Character Death, Stockholm Syndrome, Tim Drake is Catlad, Tim Drake is a Talon, Triggers, Verbal Humiliation, Violence, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 10:45:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17806532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VirusZeref/pseuds/VirusZeref
Summary: The Court of Owls has ruled from the shadows of Gotham since the founding of their beloved city.They now rule supreme after the tragic death of the city's Dark Knight.Batman.But everything has to be rewarded to their Talons. They did all the work and it would make sense for them to be rewarded according.





	Talon's Pets

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Talon's Pet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9834956) by [VirusZeref](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VirusZeref/pseuds/VirusZeref). 



> Hello to all my DC readers!
> 
> This is a rewrite of A Talon's Pet! And I just want to warn everyone that this will be much darker than the original fic and I advise everyone to read this version before going back to reread the original. And compare!
> 
> And yes, I am aware that I haven't been writing DC fanfictions lately but no need to worry, I will be rewriting most of my DC fics. I fully believe that my writing is significantly better than it was in 2016.
> 
> Anyways I hope you enjoy this rewrite!

Every child born in the hospital of Gotham City knows the rhyme. It used to be used as a warning, for noisy children to not poke their noses in things that they were not to get involved in. But as time passed, it became merely a legend, a myth, something that is taught in the public school education or older sibling using the rhyme to scare the pants off their young siblings. 

 

_ Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time. Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your heart, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them or they'll send the Talon for your head. _

 

A hooded masked figure snorted in their office, reading a thick leather bonded book with gold painted on the pages with disinterest. The rhyme really couldn’t be farther from the truth. They don’t stalk unnecessary children until it’s children meant for being the next line of Talons that they have. All children are innocent in the Court’s eyes. Second, they are mistaking the Court for the Dark Knight, Batman…

 

Well, then again the Dark Knight himself could have used the nursery rhyme as his inspiration. The figure tapped his finger on the wooden desk, boredom on their mind. After the death of the Bat, the Court of Owls immediately rose back on top to claim Gotham once more. No longer a myth or a mere nursery rhyme to be told in bed, they were real. 

 

Gotham needed a saviour after all. It wasn’t like crime didn’t lower after the Court sent out the Talons to slaughter the major villians. Those who they deemed unsavoury to the glory of their city. All the others were wise enough to go to the Court and offer their services, some like Poison Ivy were left alone. She was powerful and they would like to have her as an asset, but she was a force to be reckoned with. 

 

The Court will rather not touch that problem with a ten-feet pole. 

 

It would be a waste of assets and Talons to even try to attempt to bring her down. With that being said, she was willing to make deals with them if needed, her brilliance in biochemistry and genetic mutations in plants and sometimes human beings was much to be desired. Especially since they themselves have limited knowledge on the matter. One can only go so far with mutations for their Talons before they needed another eye to look at them. If Ivy desired to use one in her own experiments, that was fine.

 

They have plenty to spare. 

 

The figure sat back in their chair, hands folded in their lap. There wasn’t any inference with the Justice League, but they itched for a fight. Just one excuse for them to show the true might of their Talons and the Court’s influence. They already executed the Clown Prince of crime and sent his place to the police before burning his wretched corpse into ashes and sending them scattering into the wind. He has no place in their Gotham and really it was the only thing that the Court and Batman could agree on.

 

It was a shame he had to be killed.

 

He could have been an excellent Talon. 

 

A knock on the door made them stood up immediately, after a few moments the door opened with a woman gracefully sliding in. Her owl mask was in her hand as she walked towards them, hips swaying. They couldn’t keep their eyes away from her as she wrapped her arms around their waist. 

 

“Hello, darling~ You are missing the meeting.”

 

“And yet, you are here so the meeting had not started.”

 

She laughed. Her laugh sending a tingling sensation down their spine. Heavens they will never get tired of it. They would never get tired of her. Thank the heavens for the Court who are understanding, the Court does not care who one sleeps with or is romantically involved with. If one can get the job done, that was all that mattered. They let her peel the mask away from their face, revealing stone-cold grey eyes underneath black bangs, delicately cut with precision and accuracy. They let their chin rise to met her eyes, her hazel eyes. 

 

They could get lost in them.

 

“My dear Amelia, your grey eyes are just as beautiful as they were the last time I saw them.” Amelia snorted but dips her partner easily, humming. 

 

“But that was last night, Kylia.”

 

“So? I miss you.”

 

Amelia let out a sigh, “I miss you too, but we shall not be later to the meeting, what will the elders think?”

 

Kylie hummed and tapped her lips, “Whatever they like but alas we must, it is requiring the presence of our Talons.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Gone were Amelia and Kylie, and back were the Grandmaster and their escort, walking through the grand halls of the Court. The rhyme vaguely implied that they lived in the rumble under Gotham but if curious eye ventures downwards, pass the sewage and the ruins of the old city, they would find the Court. In all of its grand glory. The Court was created through the oldest families that Gotham has, the elitist of the elite, the best of the best. The Court was around since the beginning and they will still exist when Gotham finally has met her end. But that time will come never, the Court will not let Gotham die. 

 

Not now, not ever. 

 

The Grandmaster turned to their escort as they reached the doors before speaking to her, “Where are the Talons?” It was a welcoming sight to see their Talons lurking in the beams above, their golden eyes staring unblinkingly at their patrons. One would think it would be an unwelcoming sight but then again, they will not harm the hands that feed them. Kylie hummed a little before answering back,

 

“There is a gang in Gotham that is making trouble. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem with they were not one of the Joker’s….old henchmen.”

 

Ah, yes. After the Joker was executed, trouble from both ends started to rise. The police wanted the names and faces of the Talons and the villians, especially those under the Joker’s care wanted revenge. It was a truly stressful time.

 

“I see.”

 

No conversation came after that, it will come later. At the moment, they were both nothing much than players in the game of control for Gotham.

 

And they were winning. 

 

Kylie squeezed their hand discreetly before slipping away to stand with her family- no their family. Two small children with a baby that was placed in her arms. The Grandmaster glided over to the front of the grand courtroom, golden pillars and delicate designed decorated the halls, with red plush seats for each of the members of the Court. With a mural of their history above them. With a wave of their hand, one by one, each member of the Court stated their family name with the issue or resolve issues and explained the trials or errors. Depending on how severely the issue was, they would be punished accordingly. 

 

There was little or no room for error in their world.

 

The Grandmaster clasped their hands together and stood, grinning underneath their mask. Everything was going as planned and no errors were made. 

 

Excellent.

 

“Now, I hope you all know the glory and the sacrifice our Talons make for us, every day and every night.” There was unison of nods of the heads. It was because of the Talons they were able to do the things that they do. They rose a hand before continuing their monologue,

 

“Of course, they have fulfilled every demand, whim or call to service without hesitation. As Grandmaster, it is only fitting that we reward them greatly.”

 

The Court then broke out into loud conversation, everyone was trying to come up with a reward to satisfied their Talons needs. The Grandmaster has been thinking about this for a while, they admitted. And it was only rightly so, the Talons were brought from different parts of the world, one from a circus, one from the streets and another were from the Court themselves. A child of traitors, traitors that met their end at the hands of their own children. The Grandmaster personally had a hand in their training and education, she treated them as if they were their own children. 

 

The Talons were loyal to a fault, not a blank puppet to control like the Talons before them. They had their minds, their wits and their own personalities. It wasn’t an ideal suggestion when they first suggested it, but it was necessary. What was the point if an outsider tries to shape the Talons to have a different mentality. It’s better for them to have their own ideas and personalities instead of trying to shape them into the perfect image. No one was perfect, and neither was the Court. 

 

It was an idea that was hard to wrap around but it was the truth. Mistakes were punished because it was necessary but after the punishment, the mistake was forgiven. The Grandmaster pressed their lips together before sitting down, worry flowing through their veins. It was a maternal instinct but they were the mother of the Talons. 

 

They referred to them not as Grandmaster but as Mother. 

 

Some of the Court disagreed with that idea but it was fitting. They personally hand-picked their Talons regardless of the elders’ suggestion. They were mortified to learn that one of their Talons was from the streets, only for the Grandmaster to remind them that they pick them up from the streets and yet they have a street rat ruling over the Court. 

 

The elders shut their mouths after this. 

 

The Grandmaster can’t wait for them to die, the fools will never learn. Or grow. They were not necessary anyway, they were only there to observe and give their judgements. Most of which are bias statements. They were not the only ones to despise them, the new generation of the Court has grown to dislike the Elders, ones who think they know everything. 

 

The technology was advancing every day. They have more resources and more support than ever before. It was arrogant to say it but they didn’t need the Elders except for show. 

 

But they digress. 

 

The meeting ended just as planned, the Court departure for the night. Kylie was immediately back at their side and they couldn’t be happier. What would they do without her?  

 

“Surely the Talons have completed their mission successfully…”

 

Kylie snorted and pressed a kiss to their cheek, “Amelia my love, you worry too much. Almost like an overbearing mother.” She paused before giggling again, 

 

“Then again, you are their mother.”

 

“ _ Hello, mother.”  _

 

There they are. Their Talons standing before them with silent grace and unblinking big owlish eyes. They couldn’t get enough of them. They outstretch a hand and the eldest smiled and took it, kissing their fingers as the others bowed their heads. It was their greeting, the Talons do not greet the others of the Court as they did with them. They refused to and the others didn’t press the issue. 

 

It was unwise to anger a Talon. 

 

Especially their Talons. 

 

“Dick, I assume the mission went as expected?”

 

Dick Grayson, the Gray Son, one of the first ones that were the Elders’ pick. Well, sort of. Originally it was the boy’s father until that tragic accident that left Richard Grayson an orphan. But it ended up working to their advantage. The Dark Knight had planned to house the Gray Son as his ward but it was too late with the boy handing himself over to the Court. Apparently, the Gray Son’s parents were willing to share information about the Court to their son, granting him with their signature pocket watch and dagger. Imagine, the Court’s surprise when a mere child found their way into the Court claiming to be their father’s son. 

 

And then became Dick’s training. 

 

Amelia’s pretty bird.

 

Said bird tilted their head slowly before smiling, “Of course, you would have not expected any less. Though, it would have been quicker if Little Wing wasn’t so trigger happy.”

 

Amelia didn’t have to look before throwing a glare at the second oldest Talon, “Behave Jason. Knife away.”

 

Jason Todd. 

 

The second Talon. 

 

A street rat, just like them. Mother died due to a drug overdose and deadbeat Father was in prison. It was really Dick who found the second Talon, hungry and cold and brought him to the Court. Offered to personally train the other kid as a potential Talon. Through Amelia, Jason was made a Talon regardless of his family’s status, having to remind the Court that they grew up the same way. 

 

Jason always had a liking to guns rather than the typical knives and blades given to them. But it didn’t matter, he was just as much her child as Dick and Tim Drake was to her. 

 

She gestured to them to follow them and Kylie who patted Tim’s head without fear of him ripping her hand off as he did with another member. Then again, they refer to Kylie as  _ Mama Bird  _ so there was that. Amelia placed her hands behind her back and turned a corner.

 

“The Court wants to reward you three for your work.”

 

“Why, Mother?”

 

They turned to smile at them, only remembering then to remove the owl mask. “You have proved your loyalty to the Court’s cause, time and time again and we believe that we reward you with something special. Not new blades or guns, we can provide that without a problem. What do you desire my Talons?”

 

There was no hesitation in what they all said in unison.

 

“We want a pet.”

 

Kylie hummed and tilted her head, “What type of pet?”

 

Tim casually licked his knife, still coated in drying blood, “A person, I want someone I can break into pieces. Make them dependent on me and my services alone.” 

 

Jason snorted, “I just want someone to break.”

 

Amelia nodded before turning to Dick, who was silent the whole time. Unlike her pretty bird, he was normally the chatty one. “Dick?”

 

He smiled at her, “I want to make someone scream my name, Mother.”

 

“Kinky, Dickie-bird.”

 

Dick said nothing at the comment but only continued to smile, as they walked through the corridors of the Court. He paused briefly to eye a tracker he had been holding earlier. Ah, they were just arriving, perfect. 

 

“I hope to see you, my little  _ speedster _ .” 

 

+++

 

Gotham will always creep him out and no amount of teasing from Artemis will convince Wallace West otherwise. He didn’t care that she grew up here before her family left for unknown reasons, he cares more about his safety. Wally has heard the stories of how the Batman of Gotham was murdered and how the Clown Prince of Crime was brutally slaughtered. Even before then, just the atmosphere that Gotham has just unnerved him. 

 

Gotham always appeared as if outsiders were not welcome and would swallow them up if she could. Wally shivered as he continued to follow his teammates down a wide alleyway. It was quiet, too quiet for his liking. Where were the busy cars or people bustling down the streets? Then again, they were in Crime Alley and away from the busy downtown of Gotham. 

 

At night.

 

Wally brought his hands to his shoulders and squeezed slightly. He couldn’t place it but something or someone was following them. Or most specifically, him. 

 

“No one is following you, Baywatch.”

 

He said nothing, only throwing a small glare at Artemis and continued to watch. He might have said it out loud but they all couldn’t deny that Gotham City, in general, creeped them all out. They were mentally linked by M’Gann abilities and through it, they can briefly feel each other’s emotions. Well, not all of their emotions, but extreme heighten ones they can feel from each other. He could feel Connor’s wariness, M’Gann’s attempt to keep her mind off the horrors in Crime Alley just as soon as they entered Gotham, Kaldur’s determination to protect them all. 

 

When they were done with this mission, Barry is never going to hear the end of it from him. The Flash has spent ten minutes to persuade Wally to go on this mission. There really wasn’t a need for him to be here in the first place, the rest of his team was more than capable of going on this mission. It wasn’t even in his area of strengths. Wally was a speedster and as far as he was concerned, speedsters are not typically used for missions that involve stealth. But whatever, he was going to demand that Barry buy him that chemical-engineering book that he wanted. 

 

Not that his own parents would pay attention to him to get it anyways. They are more concerned with how well he did as a superhero’s “sidekick”.

 

Even as a hero, he can’t get away from their judgemental comments and looks. 

 

Whatever he only has one more month in their house anyway, then he was off to college. Wally nearly crashed into Connor when they all paused. He peeked over the clone’s shoulder before squinting. Someone was standing in the opening of the alleyway. Ironically, there was fog surrounding them so he couldn’t get a proper look at them. His legs itched for him to get away, to run from the situation. People can call speedsters cowards but they have an instinct in them, from the Speed Force. They know when to run away from a situation that they couldn’t handle.

 

Just like not.

 

Wally watched Kaldur step in front of them, his hand on his weapon. “We mean no harm! Please state your name or leave us, immediately.”

 

The redhead hissed, “Bad idea Kaldur.”

 

Bad idea indeed. 

 

The figure tilted their head and started walking towards them, appearing to be mumbling something. Well, it started as mumbling and processed to get louder. 

 

_ “Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch behind granite and line. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them or they’ll send the  _ Talon for your head.”

 

Wally had backed up into someone as the figure got closer. It wasn’t any of his teammates since they looked at him with horror in their eyes. He opened his mouth to yell but a cold blade was immediately at his throat. 

 

“I’m glad to have finally had met your, Wallace West.”

 

And that was all Wally heard as a drugged cloth was forced into his face. Against his will, his eyes began to close but he was able to turn towards his would-be killer. 

 

Golden eyes.

 

Like like an owl.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a Comment and Kudos!
> 
> If you want update or more of DC please follow me on my Tumblr at viruscreates
> 
> Also in case if you were confused about the tag Dead Dove: Do not Eat. It is a tag that essentially is, "you see the tropes and concepts tagged here? They are going to appear in this fic." 
> 
> If you need more information about this tag please refer to this post: https://fanlore.org/wiki/Dead_Dove:_Do_Not_Eat


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